Christopher M. Reeser

As a member of the Casualty Department, Chris has 25 years of litigation experience in a diverse range of practice areas including motor vehicle, premises liability, construction defect and pharmacy liability. He has represented several large and small automobile insurance carriers and their insureds, numerous hotels, conference centers, and hotel chains as well as grocery store chains, retail stores, pharmacies, and industrial facilities. He has also handled a number of underinsured motorist arbitrations and has extensive experience with mediation and arbitration.

Chris regularly defends fraternal organizations, schools and universities in matters involving contractual disputes, indemnity, dram shop and general negligence. He has counseled and represented clients in matters related to insurance coverage and professional liability. Chris is also serves as the firm's casualty supervising attorney in the Harrisburg office.

During his career, Chris has had significant experience handling several hundred motor vehicle matters involving third-party liability, uninsured and underinsured motorist claims, and insurance coverage issues along with several hundred premises liability cases. He has tried jury trials to verdict in 15 different counties in state from South Central Pennsylvania to the Northern tier as well as in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He has also been appointed by the President Judge of Dauphin County to serve on an arbitration panel for a two year term in 2013-2014 and served as the panel Chairman for a one week session.

Chris is a graduate of Albright College in Reading and the Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg. Chris started practice in Williamsport, working with a small litigation firm. He joined the Williamsport office of Marshall Dennehey in 1997 as an associate and he was elected a shareholder in 2002. In 2004, Chris returned to his hometown of Harrisburg to work in our Harrisburg office.

Year Joined

1997

Results

Defense Verdict in Deli Case Premises Liability Lawsuit.

Premises and Retail Liability
August 24, 2018

Obtained a defense verdict on behalf of a supermarket in a premises liability case in the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The plaintiff claimed that she was injured when her hand was trapped in a deli case door that was closed by an inattentive employee. She claimed that in an attempt to free her hand from the deli case, she suffered an injury to her shoulder and her neck. MRI scans after the incident did show degenerative disc disease in her neck, as well as multiple herniated discs.

Plaintiff's Ski Collision Claim Goes Downhill

Amusements, Sports and Recreation Liability
May 11, 2017

Obtained summary judgment in a skiing collision case, successfully arguing that the plaintiff assumed the risk of his injury by engaging in the sport of downhill skiing. The plaintiff, a ski instructor, claimed that while he was skiing on a lower trail, our client was recklessly skiing at an excessive speed down an upper trail when the two collided. There was no evidence that our client was skiing recklessly or speeding just prior to the collision.

Thought Leadership

Classes/Seminars Taught

Fundamentals of Personal Injury, June 2014

Pennsylvania's Fair Share Act - PAMIC Claims Summit, March, 2012

Basics of Auto Law - Defense Perspective, September 2012

Handling the Auto Injury Claim: Settle the Case Without Going to Court, National Business Institute, August 2008

Releases and Settlements - Tactics, Tips and Techniques, 2007 PAMIC Summit

Tort Claims Act, Pennsylvania Association of Township Supervisors